


Gearing Up

by ZScalantian



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Combat Training, Friendship, Gen, Ignoring KH3 ending, Keyblade Armor, Kick butt girls, Post-Kingdom Hearts III
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-03 19:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24580822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZScalantian/pseuds/ZScalantian
Summary: Kairi's frustrated.  Looking for a teacher and experience, she drags her friends with her.
Relationships: Kairi & Naminé & Xion & Aqua (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9
Collections: Fandom 5K 2020





	Gearing Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [silveradept](https://archiveofourown.org/users/silveradept/gifts).



Waves rasped upon the coral sand. Sandpipers ran up and down, while gulls circled lazily in the blue sky above. Kairi sat in the sand watching them and rubbed at an absent bruise, healed an hour ago.

Sparring with the boys was turning out to be frustrating. It wasn’t like when they were kids, all of them going at it just for fun. Swinging wooden swords, they’d each been the best and the worst. Riku had his sheer strength and long reach; Sora his endless energy, parrying and blocking until you were tired or frustrated and made a mistake. She had been precise, timing her attacks to get past Riku’s reach or around Sora’s block. 

Now though, they had left her so far behind.

She was tired of it. She was tired of staying put, tired of being left. Sparring and training at home was no different. At first, Riku and Sora remembered that she wasn’t as skilled as them anymore and went easy on her, and it frustrated her. She’d never get better like that. Eventually, they got around to actually fighting her, pushing her… until she took a hit. Then they apologized, again and again, and again. It was fine, she reassured them. Even if she got hurt, all three of them had cure magic, so it wasn’t a big deal. But they still went back to babying her.

Several rounds of that and she’d called it quits, too discouraged to continue. She sat on the bridge leading to the small island and they would finally go at it. Pushing themselves, staying in shape in case anything else happened and they were needed. All the while, leaving her further and further behind.

She vented her frustration to Naminé, who was sitting beside her, drawing colorful seashells into one of her many sketchbooks.

The other girl looked up from her page. “Maybe you could go back to Merlin, get a bit more time to catch up?”

She tucked her chin into her knees, frowning at the waves. Working with the enchanter had been okay, but he wasn’t a fighter or an expert when it came to keyblades. “I don’t think he can teach me much more on what I want to know,” she confided.

Naminé set her sketchbook to the side, turning to face her. “What do you want to know?”

Her frown deepened. What did she want? She wanted skill and experience, she wanted adventure, but most of all she wanted confidence. Confidence in her abilities, no longer worrying if they would work or not. Confidence in herself. 

She pushed herself up, staring at the horizon. How often had she done this? Waiting for an answer, a sign. The image of another woman waiting on a dark beach, staring at a distant horizon, flashed in her mind. Maybe…

She pulled out her pink gummi-phone and sent a quick message to Chip and Dale, asking if she could borrow the gummi-ship. Turning back to Naminé, she grinned. “I think I know a master who might train me!”

* * *

Terra greeted her as she stepped off the gummi-ship onto the smooth stone of the courtyard in Land of Departure. “Kairi, it’s good to see you. Are you here by yourself?” he asked.

“Thanks. It’s good to be here. And, yeah, it’s just me.” She tucked some hair behind her ear, taking a moment to look around at the distant pinnacles covered in pines and moss. She’d never been here, but on first impression, it was a beautiful, peaceful place. 

Turning back to the man who had become one of Naminé’s first friends, she said “Naminé says hi. She has a book report, otherwise she would have come along.”

“Public school, huh? I’m glad Master Eraqus taught the three of us here.”

She looked up at the gold and white castle. The chains that bound the towers, despite their size, swayed a little in the breeze, making a soft, almost bell-like music. “It’s beautiful.”

“Want a tour?”

She shook her head. “Maybe some other time. I’m actually looking for Master Aqua. Is she here?”

He nodded. “In the library, I think. I’ll show you the way.”

“Thanks.”

She followed him past gilded reliefs and stained glass windows that cast green light into the lustrous white and sky-blue halls. Eventually they stopped in front of a pair of ornate doors. Terra pushed both open, and called, “Aqua, you have a visitor.”

The keyblade master looked up from her book and smiled. “Kairi! What are you doing here?”

Kairi stepped forward, folding her hands in front of her, second-guessing her decision to come. Aqua was the Master of the Land of Departure now, and probably busy. “I was wondering if you could give me some pointers.”

The woman’s eyebrows knit delicately. “On what? With the keyblade?”

“Yeah, I’m not really satisfied with how I’m doing. I…” She could feel frustration coloring her cheeks. “I just feel so far behind the boys.”

Aqua set down her book to walk over. “That’s to be expected, Kairi, you don’t have as much experience as they do.”

“I would like to _get_ the experience.”

“You want me to go grab Ven?” Terra offered. “We can all go spar.”

“Oh, that would be great, but…” How to refuse without being rude?

Aqua smiled gently and saved her. “You’re looking for girl time?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll show myself out, then.” Terra stepped out and started pulling the doors closed.

“Sorry,” said Kairi.

He smiled through the gap between the doors, “Don’t worry about it.” The doors clicked shut.

After he’d left, Aqua tilted her head in concern. “This isn’t just about training, is it?”

“No.” Anger and the memory of fear coiled in Kairi’s stomach, and her face set stubbornly. “In those last fights, I froze up. Sometimes I would fight and sometimes I couldn’t do anything, even though I wanted to. I was always worried that the magic wouldn’t work, or I’d mess up, or just that something would go wrong.”

“Kairi,” Aqua set a hand on her shoulder, “you’re an amazing, talented fighter. Terra, Ven, and I worked for years before Master Eraqus let us fight anything more than training dummies. Your friends went through hard things, but they did generally start out with easier monsters. You had some training with Merlin and Lea and then went directly into the final battle to save the worlds, to save the light, against some of the most powerful people I’ve ever heard of. Don’t be so hard on yourself. You should be proud.”

“But -”

Aqua squeezed her shoulder and cut her off. “If you want experience, I’ll help you, but I won’t let you sell yourself short. You’re still new to all this, that’s all.”

Even though Kairi could see Aqua’s point, she wanted to argue. Sora had fought a monstrous Darkside almost first thing, and he hadn’t frozen up like she had against only-human enemies. She couldn’t feel proud about that. _Don’t push it_ , she told herself. She’d wanted Aqua to train her, and the Master had agreed. One thing about Kairi was, she knew how to take ‘yes’ for an answer.

Aqua led her out of the castle, and up a long flight of grey stone steps.

“What’s your highest spell level?” the Master asked as they climbed.

“My elementals are all at the ga level, but I’m not really good at other spells besides cure magic.” The elemental spells had all come easily to her, with the exception of Blizzard, which had nothing in it of light or life or warmth, all the energies Kairi connected well with. Merlin had turned his cottage and the surrounding forest into a winter wonderland for two weeks, so that she could use the beauty of light refracting through ice crystals as inspiration while she learned.

They reached the top of the stairs, and stepped onto a round grassy field. A training dummy stood at the close end of it, golden hoops hanging from a wooden carousel. “What about your physical abilities? Your attack combos?”

Kairi curled a hand around her bicep. She knew, logically, it was okay for her not to be as strong as the boys, but she couldn’t help being self-conscious about it. “I’m kind of a lightweight.”

Aqua laughed. “So was I. Terra used to send me flying during spars. But Master Eraqus had us do a lot of strength training, and I’m no pushover now. And…” She dropped into a ready stance, and energy swelled around her. “You can use magic like this, too.” She struck a hoop with her hand. The energy slammed into it at the same time as her palm, sending the hoop into a wild spin, round and round, chain jangling. “I guess that’s where we’ll start, with some strength training.”

They began with stretches, warming up and working her muscles, then moved to pushups, sit-ups, squats, and the like. Aqua even summoned up some barrels for her to smash, correcting her stance and swing at times. The training wasn’t anything new for Kairi, but she understood Aqua was trying to get an idea of her capabilities.

She was sweating slightly from the exercise when Aqua called for her to stop. It was time for Kairi to show off her magic. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Aqua was a master of magic, and she was to show what she could do in front of her.

Taking a deep breath, she aimed Destiny’s Embrace at a barrel. “Please work,” she muttered as magic coursed through her body, down her arms, into the keyblade. Streams of water flowed around her before rushing forward, swirling together, combining into a forceful jet of water. Waterga shattered the barrel, soaking the entire area where it had been.

She ran through each of her elemental spells: the freezing, exploding star of Blizzaga, the raging blast of Firaga. Aeroaga was a shredding cyclone of dagger-sharp wind surrounded by small but no less damaging whirlwinds, and Thunderaga, a powerful main bolt surrounded by and connected to five smaller ones, everything in its net electrocuted. 

“That was really well done, Kairi.” Aqua sounded impressed.

“Thanks.”

“Do you know any others?”

“Only Curaga and Barrier.” Even with Merlin’s time-lapse magic, she’d had to learn the powerful tiers quickly so she could go help fight. Learning a _variety_ of spells had been out of the question. Depth, not breadth, had been the name of the game in Kairi’s training so far.

Aqua nodded. “Okay. Learning new magic will help you get the experience you want. Let’s have a quick spar, so I can get an idea of what commands will suit you.”

She brought out Stormfell and stood proud, tall, and ready. Kairi fell into the stance she’d learned from Sora. She wasn’t sure what prompted her, but she made the first move, throwing out her keyblade in a Strike Raid. Destiny’s Embrace sliced through the air, propelled by magic, trailing sparkles and flower petals. Aqua cartwheeled to the side, avoiding the attack.

Instead of letting the blade return to her, Kairi teleported to it, closing the distance between her and Aqua. She lashed out in a series of quick strikes, pushing, trying to get past Aqua’s guard. But her instructor was a master for a reason. Each strike was blocked, deflected, or evaded. Then, quick as lightning, Aqua went on the offensive and Kairi found herself the one pushed back.

Aqua’s movements were as mesmerizing as a dancer’s as she darted and whirled across the ground. Kairi could barely keep up. The magic of her barrier shimmered with every impact against it until she wasn’t fast enough bringing it up. Stormfell slammed into her, knocking her into the air. 

She recovered mid-air, her side throbbing. Still hovering, she threw her keyblade in another raid. She teleported forward to cast Blizzard in her opponent’s face. The spell was weak. Aqua retaliated at once with a barrage of giant ice crystals that burst from the ground, knocking Kairi away again. 

She landed hard, rolling when she hit the ground and was barely able to bring Destiny’s Embrace up in time to meet Stormfell. The pressure was intense, keeping her pinned. Doubt started to creep in. There was no way she could do well in this fight.

“Don’t limit yourself, Kairi,” Aqua said, smiling over their crossed blades. “I can take the stronger spells.”

The encouragement was what she needed to push her insecurities to the side. “Got it,” she grunted, casting Aeroga, forcing the master away from her.

Back on her feet, she resorted to a raid again, the move well-honed by spending so much time training with Lea. Aqua deflected it and Kairi let the spinning blade return to her, not ready for close combat so soon after the last clash. She cast Firaga instead, letting the homing magic burn through the air.

However, Aqua didn’t dodge or cast Barrier to block the flames, as she expected. Instead, she surged forward, the fire wrapping around her barrier and becoming part of it. Kairi was so fascinated by the move, she reacted too late. Aqua and her burning barrier crashed into her. Again, she was knocked to the ground with a jarring force.

She scrambled to get her keyblade up in a guard, but no blade met hers. Aqua dismissed Stormfell in a flurry of petals and said, “I think I know what you need to work on.”

Kairi blinked. “Are we done?”

The soft magic of a Cure spell washed over her. “With the spar.” Aqua held out her hand. Kairi took it and was pulled to her feet.

“So, your verdict?”

Aqua turned away, flipping her hand at the air. A small white table appeared in a burst of white sparks. On it sat a crystal pitcher and two glasses. “You freeze up when you get crowded, and your inexperience shows in close combat. Your raid works well for keeping your opponent at a distance, but it becomes predictable.” She poured them each a glass of water, holding one out to Kairi.

Kairi took it. “What can I do about that?”

“I’m going to think about what’s best suited to your fighting style. For now, I’m going to teach you elemental raids so you can switch things up.”

“You mean combining my spells with Strike Raid?”

Aqua smiled. “Exactly.”

It was a good place to start, taking two things she already knew, and combining them. She had seen Lea use Fire Raid several times a day throughout her training, so with that image in mind, she got to work learning how to pair the magic with the physical attack. She wrapped the heat and energy around her keyblade. It was easy enough while she was still holding it, but keeping the flames attached as the blade flew through the air was a new difficulty.

Under Aqua’s gentle guidance, she worked on Fire, Thunder, and Water Raids for nearly an hour. Worn out, but happy with the progress she’d made, they set up a training schedule for her to come by twice a week, after getting the okay from Chip and Dale to borrow the gummi-ship that often. She gave Aqua a loose, sweaty hug before boarding the ship for home and a shower.

The next time they trained, Aqua had obviously put some thought into her fighting style and what to teach her. After they finished strength training and practiced the elemental raids, she called Kairi over to learn something new.

“Mine Shield and Mine Square are a pair of spells I’m fond of. Even if you freeze up or feel unsure, these will give you some breathing room to make decisions in. Once you’ve mastered them, I’ll teach you Seeker Mine. It can take out foes from at a distance while still being defensive.” She paused for a moment, considering, then continued. “I’m also going to teach you how to use your shield spell offensively with Barrier Surge. Like you saw in our spar, you can add your elemental magic to it, just as with the raids.”

* * *

Kairi had trained with Aqua for almost two months now. In that time, she had gotten physically stronger and much more confident. She had an easier time keeping up with the boys and was no longer left behind in their beachside mock-fights. As Aqua had predicted, the Mine Spells and Barrier Surges became some of her favorite go-to options. 

Today they’d been on the beach until almost dark, paddling back to the main island with the sunset gleaming on the waves. At home, a warm shower helped soothe her tired muscles before she flicked on the lamp at her desk and sat down to study. She enjoyed training and using her magic, but the comforting mundanity of math homework was nice too. It made her feel like a normal teen, like the only worry in her life was the next classroom test - not darkness descending on the worlds again, or her friends disappearing. 

She was tapping the end of her mechanical pencil on her desk, stuck, ironically, on problem thirteen, when Naminé knocked on her open door.

“Kairi, do you have a moment to talk? I can come back later, if not.” She fiddled with the scalloped eyelets on the hem of her skirt, a nervous gesture Kairi hadn’t seen from her in months. She’d been adopted by the mayor as Kairi’s sister, without hardly having to even explain any part of their complicated relationship. 

“No, it’s fine.” She set her pencil down and turned in her chair. “What’s up?”

Naminé stepped into the room, closing the door quietly behind her. “Well, it’s about this.” With a flick of her wrist, she summoned Destiny’s Embrace.

Kairi sat stunned. She was half tempted to call up her own keyblade, just to check.

“I’ve been able to do it for a few days now. I was sort of scared at first that it was just a fluke, but now…” Her hand clenched on the flower-decorated hilt. “I want to learn how to fight beside all of you.”

A smile lit up Kairi’s face and she sprang up from her chair, wrapping the other girl in a tight hug. “I’m so proud of you!” she laughed. Naminé put her hand up to Kairi’s arm and squeezed back, delight shining in her light blue eyes. 

“Have you told anyone else?”

Naminé shook her head.

“Then let’s tell the others.” Kairi began pulling her gummi-phone out of her pocket, but Naminé tugged at her arm.

“Not yet.”

“Huh?”

“I’m not quite ready to tell them yet.”

“Oh. Alright, we’ll wait.” She looked closely at her sister. She’d been so excited to get her own keyblade, both when Riku first handed it to her, and then when it kept appearing whenever she wanted it, proving that it was hers. What was causing Naminé’s hesitance? Was it because her keyblade was a dead ringer for Kairi’s? Their separate identities were trickier for Naminé to deal with than for Kairi. Her left arm was still around Naminé’s shoulders. She tightened it in a half-hug. “I think we should celebrate. Want to get shaved ice?”

Naminé nodded. “Mmmhmm. Also, I’d like to train with you. If that’s alright?”

“Of course it is! Do you just want to work with me, or would you like to go to my lessons with Master Aqua? If you’re okay with her knowing.”

“I hadn’t thought of that. Would it be okay?”

“I don’t think she’d mind, and I’d love to have you.”

“Even though you're at a higher level, and I don’t know how to fight?” Her smile grew a little hesitant.

“Even though,” she nodded. Kairi wasn’t going to say so, but Naminé’s lack of self-confidence held up a sudden mirror to her own. A warm rush of affection and protectiveness washed over her, and she resolved to do better on that front. Naminé deserved more of Kairi’s support. She had to deal with her own issues, so she could provide it.

She did check that they could both summon Destiny’s Embrace at the same time before they went out. It was a relief that they could, but thinking on it, Sora, Roxas, and Xion could all summon Kingdom Key at the same time. She shouldn’t have worried.

* * *

Kairi set down the gummi-ship carefully in the Land of Departure courtyard, checking all her cameras and sensors to make sure she wasn’t too close to any of the half-walls or vine-covered stone pillars. She’d landed here so often lately, it should be second nature, but Chip and Dale tinkered constantly with the gummi-ship, changing its dimensions and shape, so she had to pay attention every time. She powered the ship down and stood, turning to Naminé in a passenger seat behind her. Her brows snapped together in concern as she saw Naminé’s face.

She was staring out the windshield at the castle, her gaze flicking around without settling. Her whole body was closed in on itself, knees together, feet tucked in, hands locked in her lap. In a pale voice, she whispered, “This place used to be Castle Oblivion?”

Kairi drew a quick breath. She hadn’t thought of that, when she asked Naminé whether she wanted to come train with her. She set a hand on Naminé’s bare shoulder, which the island sunshine was beginning to freckle. “It’s not like that anymore, I promise.” She’d never been to Castle Oblivion, but she knew it had looked vastly different to the Land of Departure. She was certain it felt different too, and that the contrast would be enough to settle her sister. 

She held out her other hand. Naminé took it, and Kairi pulled her up.

They found Aqua waiting in the training field. She seemed pleasantly surprised to see Naminé and, after they explained the circumstances, was willing to teach her, starting with the basics. Like Kairi, her physical strength was low. After their stretches, her first lesson was how to do push-ups properly.

“Don’t worry,” Aqua encouraged as Naminé struggled. “Strength will come with time. If you practice even just fifteen minutes at home each day, you’ll improve quickly.”

Naminé responded with an out-of-breath, “Okay.”

After that, Aqua set Kairi to practicing her mine spells, while she instructed Naminé in footwork, basic swings, and blocks.

Kairi felt that learning Seeker Mine couldn’t be far off. Mine Shield was easy to cast these days, eight mines of glowing light lined up in front of her. Each individual mine felt like its own spell, even though she cast them as one. Their restrained, burning energy reminded her of the start of Fire or Thunder spells when they were still contained in her chest, right before she cast them out. Mine Square was similar, with the added difficulty of casting magic behind herself. She’d spent her first week learning it constantly turning to look over her shoulder to check that it was there.

Today she was running into a problem she hadn’t faced before. Without Aqua sending barrels for her to burst or deflect, she had no idea how to get rid of the mines. She tried walking over to some stacked barrels but the spells didn’t react to their proximity. Next, she tried throwing one of the barrels at a mine. The barrel hit the ground with a thump and rolled a few feet, unexploded.

Kairi looked over to Aqua, where she was drilling Naminé in basic strikes. _No_. She shook her head, focusing back on the mines around her. She would figure this out on her own. 

She could feel her connection to the spells, their pulsating energy and explosive potential. Closing her eyes, she focused on the magic tethering them to her, a braided cord where each thread led to a different mine. Slowly, one by one, she disconnected. When she opened her eyes, the spells were gone.

Proud, she tried it again, summoning up Mine Square then letting the spell fade. She did so three more times until she was confident in the new ability. Instead of taking an ether to replenish her magic, she decided to let it come back naturally and went instead to check on how Naminé was doing.

They had moved on from physical attacks to magical ones. Blue light engulfed Destiny’s Embrace as Naminé pointed it at the training dummy. A few snowflakes burst from it, melting at once. Naminé’s shoulders drooped. 

“You can do it!” Kairi encouraged.

Naminé glanced over, smiling. She took a deep breath and tried again. More than a few snowflakes, but not yet a snowball. The next one was better, and the fourth, then the fifth. On the sixth cast, she got it, sending a softball-sized chunk of spiked ice spinning through the air to crash into the dummy. 

“Alright, that’s enough for now. How are you feeling?” Aqua asked.

Tendrils of Naminé’s blonde hair stuck to her flushed cheeks, but she said, “Tired, but I don’t want to quit yet.”

Aqua nodded. “Have some water and a breather first. Kairi, you too.” After they’d had a drink, Aqua said, “Kairi, come spar with Naminé for a minute. Don’t worry about any advanced moves, stick to the basics.”

“Okay,” she agreed, taking up her stance. “Ready? Don’t hold back.”

Naminé fell into the same stance she did. “Ready,” she confirmed.

Kairi moved in, slower than normal and without her usual opening raid, striking from the right, left, overhead. While she stuck to the basics, she didn’t make it easy. She pushed Naminé, not too hard, but enough so she could learn and improve, the way she’d wanted the boys to fight her when she was first learning. 

For her part, Naminé stayed mostly on the defensive, blocking, parrying, and sliding out of the way. The few times she lashed out, the blows were weak, barely sending any shock down Destiny’s Embrace as Kairi blocked. Still, they circled each other, looking for openings. She found plenty against the novice fighter. After landing another hit to her sister’s side, Aqua called for them to stop.

She cast a small Cure on each of them. “That was a good first time, Naminé, well done,” she praised and pointed to a stone bench. “You should take a real break now.”

Naminé nodded breathlessly and sat. Her hands quivered around her water glass, but a pleased smile was stuck on her face.

Aqua turned to Kairi. “How are you doing on Seeker Mine?”

“Uh,” she winced, “I haven’t quite got it. But I did figure out how to cancel the spell.”

“That’s good.”

She showed the master what she’d figured out, summoning Mine Square then letting it go again.

“Kairi, that tether you’re describing? I want you to cast the spell again, then send a small burst of magic down that tether, then cut it and send the mine out like you would a Fire spell.”

“You mean…?”

“You’ve figured out how to do Seeker Mine, you just have to put the steps together.”

Concentrating, with Fire in her mind, she called up Mine Shield. When she did as Aqua instructed, the mines stayed in place after she cut them off, feeding on the supplementary power she’d sent them.

Aqua nodded, approving, before sending a barrel flying at her without warning. Kairi sucked in a breath. 

Unlike normal, where the mines stayed about two feet ahead of her, one shot off as the barrel flew within six feet of her, intercepting and exploding it. Kairi grinned. Behind her, Naminé clapped. She spun around and gave a mock bow, while Aqua laughed.

* * *

Over the next two weeks, Kairi and Naminé trained on the islands in secret and with Aqua in the Land of Departure. One day after classes, when Kairi turned down another invitation from Sora to go out to the play island, he folded his arms and complained, “It feels like I only see you guys at school these days.” He brightened. “Hey, can I go with you tomorrow to see Ven and everybody?” 

Kairi glanced over at Naminé, who shook her head minutely. “Sorry, Sora,” she deflected. “We’re not really visiting Ven and Terra. It’s girl time.”

“Awww…” he pouted. Then he laughed, “That’s okay. Some other time.” He ran off, catching up to Tidus, Wakka, and Selphie. Selphie glanced over her shoulder at Kairi and Naminé, quirking an eyebrow as though asking for an explanation. Kairi waved at her a little guiltily. Keyblade training had eaten into spending time with their other friends, too, not just Sora and Riku.

“Sorry,” said Naminé. “It’s just, he’ll want to spar, and I’d like to put up a good fight.”

“No problem,” Kairi answered. “He’ll be so surprised, the wait will all be worth it.”

That Saturday, when they went for their next training session, they found Riku leaning against the gummi-ship. He stood when he saw them, concern written in every line of his body. “You’ve been spending a lot of time away from the Islands. Is everything okay?”

“Don’t worry, Riku. Everything’s fine,” she reassured. “We’re just working on a surprise.”

“A surprise?” He looked between them.

Naminé nodded, “Yes.” Her hands clenched behind her back, like a repressed, joyful shout.

Kairi put her hands together, pretend-pleading. “Do us a favor and keep Sora occupied? It won’t be much longer.”

He smiled and shook his head. “Alright.”

At the Land of Departure, their spars had evolved from the starting basics to a novice level. Despite Naminé learning from Aqua, and Kairi learning mainly from Merlin and Lea, their styles mirrored each other almost perfectly - they dodged the same way, teleported themselves to their keyblades the same way, used the same motions to cast spells. Naminé even switched from using her keyblade to block to using a barrier spell-like Kairi’s.

“It’s just more convenient,” Naminé explained defensively. 

“It is,” answered Aqua, but was nearly overridden by Kairi’s, “I didn’t say anything!”

Aqua looked between them. “Is there a problem here?”

“No,” they both said, then Naminé shrugged. “Not much of one. I’m trying… I’m trying to be my own person. It’s…” She trailed off, searching for the words.

Kairi suggested, “A process?”

Her sister smiled and nodded. “Yes. It’s ongoing.”

One difference that developed early on was Naminé switching her stance to copy Aqua’s. She also had a knack for status effects. Her Thunder spells inflicted Stun as well, and that was what tipped Aqua off to her talent. Now she could cast Stun, Sleep, Confuse, and Slow, and was working on Blind and Stop.

After training, Kairi wasn’t quite ready to head back to the Islands. “Hey, Naminé?” she asked once they were on board the gummi-ship. “Do you want to stop by Disney Town for some ice cream?”

She looked delighted at the suggestion. “I’d love to.”

Landing outside the colorful town, they strolled along winding streets, past colorful homes whose window boxes were riots of colorful flowers. “Master Aqua told me about this place she used to get ice cream at. I hope it’s still there.”

“Do you know where we’re going?”

“It should be somewhere near the main square. Hey, excuse me?” Kairi approached a bovine lady carrying armloads of groceries. “Do you know where we could find an ice cream shop in town?”

The cow blinked large, long-lashed eyes at her. “Oh certainly, dear. Go up these stairs, make a right, then a left, then another right, keep going right, but not inside, and you’ll find it.”

She trotted off, leaving Kairi only slightly lost. “Did you get that?” she asked Naminé.

“Sort of? We go that way.” She pointed up the stairs.

“Well, that’s a start.”

Eventually, they found it. A small shop, with a blue and yellow awning over the counter. It was run by a trio of white-feathered ducklings, alike enough to be triplets. Kairi thought she recognized them from photos - Donald’s nephews. Once she introduced herself, they knew her too and added complementary sprinkles on top of their ice cream, plus extra whipped cream. Kairi ordered a Royalberry cone, red raspberry ice cream decorated to look like Queen Minnie. Naminé got a Honeybunny cone, apple, and honey ice cream in the shape of a rabbit.

They sat in the square by the central gazebo, enjoying the sweetness of the treat. Kairi looked sideways at her sister. When she first met Naminé in the World That Never Was, she’d reminded Kairi of a watercolor painting. There had been something insubstantial and wispy about her. She was different now, and despite the sun-freckling and the slight build of muscle in her thin limbs, it mostly wasn’t physical. 

“Naminé, I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad you exist.”

Naminé nodded, looking off at the horizon. “I am, too. At first, I didn’t think I had any right to. That my existence was wrong. That I was a mistake when everything I had ever done was hurt people. I hurt Sora, hurt Roxas, hurt Xion. I erased you from Sora’s memories. When I got this body, I thought that I had to make up for all of that.”

“But you don’t. It wasn’t your fault.”

Naminé’s flower-blue eyes met hers. “Yes, it was. I knew what sort of decisions I was making. But that time doesn’t have to define me. I want to fight to make up for what I did, and I want to fight to protect what I have now.” Her mouth and chin firmed, her eyes crinkled at the corners. “And I can do both because I’m a whole person, not a fragment. I’m me.”

“Yes, you are,” Kairi grinned, and punched the air. “You’re awesome!” 

Naminé laughed, half-happy, half-embarrassed, and shoved Kairi’s shoulder lightly. “You’re noisy!”

She laughed, too. Her grin turned soft. “Though what I meant earlier was, I’ve always wanted a sister.”

Naminé blushed and backtracked. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have taken it so seriously.”

“You’re fine. I like it when you talk and tell me what you’re thinking and how you feel. I want to listen.”

“I’ll listen too. Whenever you need to talk, I’ll be here for you.”

“Thanks.”

* * *

When Naminé tapped into her first shotlock, it was a thing of beauty. Kairi was practicing on her own while Aqua instructed Naminé in the technique’s theory, then led her to a pile of stacked barrels. Kairi paused to watch. Naminé took a deep breath, then called up her keyblade. Glyphs of shining white appeared in a dome surrounding her target. Blades of solid light shot from the glyphs, shattering the barrels to splinters.

“You did it!” Kairi crowed, and ran over to hug Naminé tightly.

“I did it,” Naminé echoed, surprise and relief in her voice.

“First try, too,” said Aqua. “Well done.”

She tried it out two more times before they all took a break, sitting on the stone wall overlooking the castle and the lands beyond. “You were right, Kairi, it’s different.”

“What was I right about?” she asked.

“This place. It’s not at all like Castle Oblivion.” Naminé kicked her heels gently against the wall, looking thoughtful. “The atmosphere there was sad and lost, so still. Sterile. It wasn’t a place where things lived. I felt so trapped.”

Aqua glanced up at the shining towers, then looked back, her eyes full of formless sorrow. “I’m sorry it became a prison for you.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Naminé held up Destiny’s Embrace, the flowers and the waves gleaming in the pure air. “And now, it’s a place of liberation.”

After that, Naminé decided she was ready to tell the boys. When they went down to the castle, Terra was sitting on the front steps. Some heavy, leather-bound books were open around him, but he wasn’t reading, instead leaning back on his hands and watching the clouds drift by above.

Naminé took a deep breath and went toward him. Kairi was a little surprised - when Naminé said ‘the boys’, Kairi instantly thought of _her_ boys. But of course, Terra was right here, and he and Naminé were close.

Terra grinned as Naminé summoned her keyblade. “So that’s why you went up there with them.” He raised his fist toward Namine, who bumped it with her own. “Welcome to the keyblade club.”

Back on the Islands, Kairi set up a spar with the boys for the next day after school. When they showed up at the play island, Naminé, instead of going to find a place to draw, stayed on the sand beside her. Riku cocked his head in interest, picking up on the change, while Sora crossed his arms.

“You should stand back, Naminé.” It wasn’t mean, just Sora being his normal protective self. He didn’t know Naminé could fight now. Still, it rankled Kairi a little, the unconscious assumption in it.

Kairi summoned Destiny’s Embrace, falling into a fighting stance. Beside her, Naminé did the same. “Don’t worry. I’ll be alright.”

Sora stepped back in surprise, then his shock turned into an excited grin. “Naminé, you’ve got a keyblade!”

Riku’s smile was equally wide. “That’s why you’ve been going to Land of Departure, you’ve been training with Aqua too.”

“Wha?” Sora looked startled. “You mean ‘girl time’ was -”

“Learning how to kick butt,” said Kairi.

“I mean, you knew Kairi was doing training there, Sora,” said Riku. “What are you so surprised about?”

“Yeah, I just…” Sora shrugged, then turned that million-watt grin back to Naminé. “It’s really awesome that you have a Keyblade now, Naminé. I look forward to working with you. And sparring!”

“Same here, Sora,” Naminé smiled.

“Enough stalling, are we going to spar or not?” Kairi knew Naminé wanted to show off what she’d learned, and the sun was dipping toward the horizon.

Still wearing a soft smile, Riku shook his head, raising Braveheart. “Show me what you’ve got.”

Kairi almost always started with a raid. This time, she shook it up, using Barrier Surge to push them back and give Naminé an opening. The other girl took the opportunity, casting Slow to bring the boys down to a manageable speed. It only took a few steps for them to figure out what had happened. In that time, the girls pushed their advantage.

Darting forward, Kairi slashed at Riku, sliding under his guard as he was stuck in slow motion. The hit landed solidly on his hip, sending him down on a knee. Naminé rushed past her, heading for Sora. He was standing back, charging a spell, but had to abandon it to block the incoming strike.

She didn’t have time to watch them. Riku lashed out and she zipped back, out of his range. This ended up being a mistake, as the extra room she provided him gave him enough space to gather enough energy for an attack. Light flashed around him and a red and blue orb began to spin around him. She tried to send out a Thunder Raid, but it was too late, Destiny’s Embrace got sucked into Magnet Spiral.

She tried to dig her feet into the sand, but the granules slipped and moved as she and Naminé were pulled in. The pressure grew, constricting, until Braveheart slammed into her, sending both of them flying. 

“Ooof.” Her breath left her as she slid across the beach. Getting back to her feet, Kairi spat sand out of her mouth and glared at Riku. Sparks of green light glinted around him, an Esuna.

He turned his head slightly, calling over his shoulder. “Thanks, Sora.”

There went their speed advantage. She glanced over to Naminé, just now getting back up into a fighting stance. 

In retaliation for Riku’s attack, she cast Thundaga and zipped to her sister’s side. “You doing alright?”

“I’m fine.”

“I’ll cover you for another status.”

She nodded, determined. “Okay.”

Kairi turned back to the boys, who were regrouping too. She cast both Seeker Mine and a barrier around herself, standing firmly next to Naminé so the spells encircled her as well. Riku and Sora had both been hit by the mines before, so they knew to keep their distance, and sent their own Thunder and Dark Fire spells at them instead.

The spells hit harmlessly against the barrier, but she couldn’t hold it forever. “You almost ready?”

“Just... about...”

Bright blue flames over the barrier, smelling like ash and burnt stone, but it was the erratic crackle and snap of the electricity and its bright flashes and sparks that made it difficult to focus. “Don’t worry about it, close your eyes. I’ve got you. Listen to the waves.”

She wasn’t sure if Naminé took her advice, but moments later shadows moved around her. Abruptly, the fire and thunder stopped.

“Hey!” Sora shouted, darkness swelling and wisping around his eyes.

The boys were blinded. She shot a grin at Naminé. Her sister was a mad genius. Before Sora had a chance to cast Esuna again, she dashed forward. The boys heard her coming and flung spells out at random. She dodged each blast of energy.

“Don’t let her get close!” Riku called as he dashed away from her, trying to keep the distance. But he misjudged the spell she was using. At ten feet, one of the Seeker Mines shot off.

“Gahh!” The mine sent him flying, payback for earlier.

“Riku!” Sora shouted, raising his keyblade.

Her victory was short-lived. A large twister appeared behind her, its force sucking her up, plus Naminé, palm leaves, sand, and water. Tumbling in its vortex, she was thrown into the ocean, the water a harsh slap against her skin. Breaking into the air, she pushed her hair back and blinked saltwater from her eyes.

Not too far from her, she saw Naminé breach the surface, coughing and sputtering. She swam to her side. 

On the beach, she saw Sora cast Esuna again, then look around for them. When he spotted them, he waved. “You guys okay?”

Kairi rolled her eyes, casting a Cura that eased the belly-flop feeling. Naminé called back, “We’re both fine.”

Collecting magic around her, she used it to surge out of the water, droplets spraying around her. In the air, she let off a Wateraga. It tore across the sand, blasting the boys as they tried to block its force. She landed on the beach, this time zipping toward Sora. Their keyblades met with a clash. At some point, Naminé got onto the beach as well. She could see her in her peripheral vision, fighting Riku.

At times, they fought in tandem, but the boys were quick to target Naminé when they saw her lining up another status spell. They were encouraging, even as they stopped the spells, saying things like, “Those are too effective.”, “Sorry, nope.”, “Nice try.”, and “You’re good at those.” It was obvious that they didn’t want the frustration of being stuck under another status effect. 

It all ended when Sora hit a finisher in Second Form. Light orbs spiraled away from him, slamming into her and exploding. The magical energy burned and seared, even though it didn’t leave a mark. She fell back, clutching at her middle. She’d taken enough hits for one day.

“Yield.”

Naminé, who’d been slowing down for a while now, stopped to fan herself. “Yes, please.”

“Alright.” Sora lowered his keyblade and grinned at them. “You were really cool, Naminé.”

She gave a breathy, “Thanks.”

Riku stuck Braveheart in the sand and patted his face with the back of his wrist, letting the black wristband there absorb the sweat of his brow. “Kairi, you’re no slouch either. Those mines are getting scary.”

“Glad to hear it,” she said and held up Destiny’s Embrace for a final Curaga before she flopped back into the sand. She could hear the others do the same around her. The scattered clouds above turned blazing pink and orange as the sun began sinking into the sea. Still looking up, she stretched out her hands, sliding them through the warm sand until they bumped into a body on either side of her. 

Sora and Naminé each took one of her hands, holding them gently. “Riku?” she called.

“Hmm?”

“I’m holding your hand too, okay?”

She could hear the smile in his voice. “Okay.”

* * *

Sora wanted to let their friends living in Twilight Town know about Naminé’s new keyblade, and Naminé agreed. Calling the others up, they arranged to meet in the usual spot.

They arrived first. After three minutes waiting out front, Sora was bouncing on his heels and suggesting they go out to look for the others. Riku told him to wait fifteen minutes, that they were probably just running late.

Sure enough, seven minutes later - Sora was counting -, Hayner, Pence, and Olette showed up, arms heavily laden with celebratory food and drinks from Scrooge McDuck’s Bistro.

“Didn’t know if you guys liked anchovies,” Pence said, setting a large, flat white box down on a wooden packing crate. “So I got the Tarte Flambée instead of the Pissaladiére.” He opened the lid, and a delicious smell of cheese, onions, and bacon rose from the pizza-like flatbread inside.

“Plus, the Pissaladiére has an amazing crust, but it’s more expensive,” Olette said and opened a cooler of lidded plastic cups containing fruit cream sodas. Kairi chose strawberry, Naminé took peach, Riku picked blueberry, and Sora waffled, wanting to try them all.

“Yeah,” said Hayner. “Even with Olette’s employee discount. You know she’s working there now as a waitress after school?”

“Really? That’s cool.” Sora finally picked strawberry, like her. “Is Little Chef doing okay?”

Olette popped the cap off an orange soda and took a thoughtful sip. “I think he misses you. He seems to have adopted Hayner as his next project, but,” she shook her head, “he keeps messing up.”

“Hey! It’s harder than it looks, okay?”

“It’s not _that_ hard.”

“Spoken like somebody who isn’t getting their hair yanked like a pupp-”

“Hey, who wants dessert?”

Kairi turned, smiling, as Lea, Roxas, and Xion entered. Lea plunked down the family-size box of sea-salt ice creams onto a crate and put his hands on his hips, looking dramatically around. Roxas and Xion slid onto the arms of the couch, Roxas beside Sora, Xion beside Naminé, and helped themselves to slices of the Tarte Flambée.

“Look at all this. No one threw _me_ a party like this for getting my keyblade.” Lea’s voice was offended, but the smile he wore showed he was only teasing.

Hayner grinned and flicked a bottle cap at him. “That’s because no one liked you very much.”

“Rude,” said Lea, catching the cap midair. “You’re just mad that I’m a better cook.”

“You work at the Bistro too, Lea?” Kairi asked, and took a bite of her flatbread. “Mmm!” The gruyere cheese was at the perfect temperature still, and mixed sweetly with the cream, caramelized onions, and fatty bacon.

“Part-time. Now that the organization is gone, I need a job that pays rent. Adulting sucks.”

“Seems like most of you have jobs,” Riku commented.

Roxas nodded, and swallowed the last bites of crust, having all but inhaled his slice. “I do odd jobs, and Xion works at the theater.”

“I.T.,” said Pence.

Eye-tee? Kairi’s confusion was voiced by Sora. “Huh? What’s that?”

“Tech support for my family, friends, neighbors, and Mr. McDuck. He’s the only one who pays me, though.”

“How about you guys?” asked Olette.

She shook her head. “Nope.” Neither she or Naminé worked. As the mayor’s daughters, their family didn’t really need the money, and they spent their free time training instead.

“I help my dad sometimes, out fishing,” said Riku.

Sora just smiled up at Roxas. “Odd jobs.” Roxas grinned at the identical description and reached for the ice cream box, tearing open the cardboard lid.

“Hey,” said Hayner. “I thought we were celebrating Naminé getting a keyblade, not complaining about work.” 

“Guess we got sidetracked,” said Riku.

Xion had eaten her slice as fast as Roxas - and Sora, who was going for seconds - and she reached out for the ice cream too. She pulled out three, and offered the two extras to Kairi and Naminé, who were just finishing with their Tarte Flambée. “Congratulations, Naminé.”

“Thank you,” said Naminé, accepting the frozen treat. “I’ve been training with Kairi and Aqua.”

“So you’ve had it for a while, then?” asked Olette.

Naminé nodded. “I hadn’t done any real fighting before, so I wanted to train first.”

“I understand,” said Xion, unwrapping her popsicle. “Having everybody around you already know what they’re doing is kind of intimidating.”

“I don’t ever remember being intimidated,” said Roxas.

Lea stretched out one long leg and kicked him lightly in the calf. “That’s because you were a zombie your first week. You didn’t have the brainpower for fear.”

“Hey!”

Everyone laughed a bit. Roxas rolled his eyes before taking a bite out of his ice cream with an audible crunch. It made her teeth hurt, watching. 

“Where’s Isa?” asked Sora.

“He’s in Radiant Garden, working on a project.” Lea waved an airy hand, but Kairi thought she saw the tiniest of lines between his eyebrows.

Olette jumped up. “Speaking of projects, here’s an idea! Since both of you are training with this Aqua lady, why not have Xion go too?”

“Umm…” Xion looked up from her ice cream, frowning.

Olette waved her hands. “I’m not doubting your skill, or saying you need more training, or anything. I don’t know how to fight. I just thought it would be cool for all of you to train together. You know, girl power.”

Kairi grinned. “That does sound fun. I don’t think Master Aqua would mind.” She wanted more experience - a new sparring partner would be great.

“I’m up for it,” said Naminé.

Xion considered them both, then smiled. “Okay. Won’t hurt to try.”

* * *

“Gently,” Kairi coached from her passenger seat as Namine slowly set the gummi-ship down. The craft juddered slightly as it landed, then settled. “Nice job!”

Namine blew out a slow breath. “It’s a lot harder than landing on the beach.”

“Well, it’s never exactly easy, but you’ll get the hang of it.”

Kairi saw Aqua coming down the steps of the castle to greet them, and ran out of the ship to meet her.

“Hi, Aqua. I probably should have asked first, again, but Xion is going to come join us. Is that okay?”

Aqua cocked her head. “Xion is… from Twilight Town, right? With black hair.”

“That’s her.”

“I don’t mind. It’s fun having so many people around. Did she come with you today?” Aqua looked past her towards the ship.

Kairi shook her head. “No, she said she’d meet us here.”

“Oh?” The master looked slightly mystified.

Naminé came to stand beside Kairi. Kairi grabbed her shoulders and pushed her forward a little, exclaiming, “And guess what!”

Aqua chuckled. “What?”

“Naminé’s learning to pilot the gummi-ship!”

“Good for you, Naminé. It seems like you’re trying lots of new things lately.”

Naminé scuffed a sandal against the paving stones. “Our parents have been teaching us how to drive on the island,” she explained.

“We’re just expanding those lessons,” Kairi said, then turned around as a cold breeze tickled the back of her neck.

A pool of darkness appeared in the courtyard, beside the gummi-ship. Master Aqua immediately tensed, summoning Stormfell as the darkness swelled upward. A figure shrouded in black began to step out. Aqua lunged forward.

“Aqua! Wait!” Kairi yelled, but it was too late. The clash of keyblades echoed in the courtyard as Stormfell met the Kingdom Key.

Xion pushed back her hood. “Aqua!?” 

Aqua stared at her, then stepped back, disengaging their keyblades with a flourish. Her knuckles were white around Stormfell’s hilt. “Xion? I didn’t know you used dark corridors.”

“I… Yes, sorry.”

“No, it’s… it’s okay… I… Sorry for attacking you.”

There was an awkward pause as the adrenaline faded.

“Let’s go up to the training field,” Aqua finally offered, dismissing Stormfell.

At the training field Xion took off her black coat, folding it and setting it neatly on a nearby bench. 

Aqua chuckled, though her voice still seemed a little stiff. “Did you plan your outfits?”

It took Kairi a moment to catch on, then she looked around. She, Naminé and Xion were all wearing sleeveless hoodies. Naminé had on a short skirt, but Xion was wearing a skort cut almost like hers. For fun, she pulled up her pink hood with its little black ears. “Guess they’re in fashion.”

“Looks like,” Aqua agreed. She clapped her hands and turned serious. “Let’s get started. Xion, I don’t know your style very well, so after warm-ups, I want you to spar with Kairi.”

“Okay. Do you care what keyblade I use?”

“Let’s not worry about keychains yet. Kairi and Naminé don’t have any, and I want to see the fundamentals of your style. Nothing fancy.”

Xion nodded. “Sounds good.”

Keychains, huh? Riku rarely used any, but Sora swapped them out constantly. Sometimes as a practical choice, but sometimes for aesthetics, or just for nostalgia.

She ran through her exercises, still thinking about keychains. It made her really want to visit other worlds. She loved Destiny’s Embrace, but what other keyblades could she have? Maybe Sora would let her borrow some of his, so she could decide whether she liked using them.

After her final stretches, she walked to the center of the practice field. Xion joined her. They bowed to each other and fell into their stances. They used the same one, she noted. 

“Do your best!” cheered Naminé, moving to the sideline, safely out of the way. Aqua stood a little closer, looking intense and watchful. 

Kairi exhaled. Focus, she told herself. She’d fought Xion once before, though the other girl hadn’t really been _herself_ then. Her style was similar to Sora’s, like Naminé’s was to Kairi’s. So, how should she -

She took too long in moving. Xion rushed forward, striking hard and fast. It was too late for a barrier. Kairi zipped out of the way, nearly stumbling over her own feet. But Xion didn’t let her get far, pursuing her with a flurry of attacks. The tip of Kingdom Key clipped her side. It was only a graze, but she knew it would bruise. 

It _was_ almost like fighting Sora. With that in mind she called up Mine Square, since that often tripped him up, but Xion didn’t approach. Instead, she seemed to turn into a ball of energy that circled Kairi, looking for an opening. Xion landed and cast Blizzaga, causing the mines to explode early. She followed through with a sliding dash, right through the fading ice crystals and flames. She plowed into Kairi, knocking her to the ground. 

It was too dangerous on the ground, so Kairi quickly took to the sky. At twenty feet, she cast Thundaga. The electricity lashed down, leaving a smell of burnt ozone in the air. She could see Xion jerk with the impact, but recover quickly. Too quickly for it not to be assisted with magic.

Xion’s eyes were set with determination as she stared up at Kairi. This fight was just getting started. Pillars of golden light shot into the air. Kairi called up her barrier. The protective magic wavered under the onslaught, cracking at the edges, but held just long enough to ride out the spell.

Blinking light out of her eyes as she landed, she glanced around for Xion. There! Too close! She zipped away to her left, avoiding Xion’s strikes. With some breathing room put between them, she threw her keyblade in a Fire Raid at the same time as Xion. The two spinning blades clashed in the middle of the field in a collision of flames and sparks. 

She let the blade return to her, calling up Fire Surge and rushing Xion. The other girl was slow to dodge, almost _letting_ the flames hit her. Back at close range, they exchanged a flurry of combos and parries. Something was odd, off. She kept expecting Xion to fight like Sora, and while some things were the same, a lot was not. She dodged and blocked less, always pushing forward. She deliberately took hits Sora would have blocked. Sora could be called an aggressive fighter, but Xion was straight-up reckless.

Destiny’s Embrace smacked into Xion’s side. A mist of dark energy pulsed away from the hit, then from Xion’s entire body. Her Kingdom Key glowed. Kairi leapt backward, but Xion moved even faster. Energy sliced through Kairi, a wave of pain with each strike, then beams of white light blasted down like lasers. She managed to get a barrier up to protect her from these. As Xion closed in again, she released Starcracker, the barrier shattering outwards, spitting pink stars and glass-like shards of the barrier.

As Xion recovered from its splinters, Kairi rushed to the other side of the field and cast Cura. The soothing magic flowed through her, repairing burns and bruises. Pain faded, and she prepared to throw her keyblade in another Raid.

“That’s enough.”

She lowered her blade, looking to Aqua.

“That was good, both of you,” the master said, striding towards the middle of the field. Across the grass from her, she could see Xion cast her own Cure. 

Aqua continued, “Now I want to see how you do fighting as a team. Xion and Naminé, the two of you are a pair. Kairi, I’ll be your partner.”

A thrill ran through her. This was new. The three of them had spared before, but it had always been her and Naminé against Aqua. She looked forward to fighting beside the master.

They paired up and bowed. Looking across the field was like looking into a crooked mirror. She and Xion with their identical stances, and Naminé and Aqua with theirs. 

“Focus, Kairi,” Aqua reminded her, before rushing forward. Kairi followed right behind her. 

Aqua released Triple Blizzaga as the first strike, with Kairi casting Thundaga in quick succession. Naminé called up a barrier, while Xion took to the sky to avoid the ice, only to be struck by the lightning. Again, she recovered quickly, then cast _seven_ Firagas in a row, one roaring fireball after another, forcing Kairi and Aqua to split in opposite directions.

Naminé stood ahead of her, her barrier coming down. She couldn’t sustain it for long periods yet. Kairi threw her keyblade. When the strike landed, she teleported to it and followed through with a series of quick strikes and a combo finisher, knocking Naminé several feet away. 

“Kairi!” Aqua shouted.

She instinctively put up her barrier just before Xion slammed into it. Again, she forced the other girl away by using Starcracker. Then Aqua was there in a blur, hurtling into Xion again and again with Sonic Blade. However, as soon as the master came to rest, Namine, now back on her feet, cast… 

Kairi blinked. Xion was back to full health, and right in her face. It was too late for Barrier. She was struck multiple times, Kingdom Key’s dull edge clubbing into her. 

Landing hard in the grass, she gasped in a few startled breaths. What had happened? A Cure washed over her and she scrambled to her feet. She nodded to Aqua, who returned the gesture before cartwheeling away from Xion’s attacks. Kairi turned her focus to Naminé, who had a confident smile and a gleam in her eyes. Why… _Stop!_ That’s what it had been! Annoyed at being caught by the status effect, she cloaked herself in fire and rushed at her sister, but Xion intercepted and Kairi slammed into her instead.

She expected Xion to recover quickly, but instead, the dark-haired girl began to float. Naminé too rose into the air - but they weren’t doing it themselves. There were looks of shock and confusion on their faces, and their limbs flailed. Aqua brandished Stormfell and flung them both to the far edge of the training field. Naminé struggled to her feet, but Xion stood and pulsed with that black mist, then her body glowed again. Remembering this attack from their spar, Kairi zipped away to avoid it. Aqua took the brunt of it, wincing. The light lasers passed much too close to Kairi for comfort, only a few inches as she dodged.

Sliding to a stop as the lasers faded, she cast Cura on Aqua, then teleported with a Fire Raid to attack Xion. They exchanged a flurry of strikes. Xion was slower than before, struggling to keep up. When Aqua joined in, she turned into a ball of light again, weaving around the field. She was difficult to track like that and guessing where she would land impossible. Kairi prepared Seeker Mine anyway.

When Xion set down, Kairi threw her keyblade and teleported. Her mines instantly exploded as she reached the other girl’s side. Behind them, Aqua called for them to stop. As the three girls gathered around her, the master cast Curaga, golden flowers sprinkling down healing green magic onto all of them.

“Naminé, well done with that Stop. You used it at the perfect moment. Kairi, you still let your attention wander, but you’re doing much better at close combat. Xion, you’re a very talented fighter, though there were a few quirks I noticed with your style. Do you know Cure?”

“Yes. Cure, Cura, and Curaga.”

“You never used them, and you don’t block or dodge that often. Why?”

Xion shrugged. “I have my Limit Break. It’s one of my most powerful moves. If I don’t take damage, I can’t access it.”

“Hmm.” Aqua frowned, and looked her up and down. “I don’t think relying on a Limit Break is the best idea. If it doesn’t take out your opponent, you’re left vulnerable, and you might not get a second chance. It’s best to fight when you’re still in good health, and switch to being defensive when you’re hurt.” Her expression softened. “You did do a good job of covering and shielding your partner, though you were a little self-sacrificial, still. I’d like to see you using blocks more often, instead of just throwing your body in the way.”

“Okay,” Xion nodded.

“Now if everyone is up for it, I’d like to get into practicing. Does anyone want a break first?”

All three of them shook their heads.

“Alright. Naminé and Xion, I want you two to work on blocks and parries. Off you go.” As they left, Aqua turned to Kairi. “Seeing Xion use her light attacks made me think. All three of you are strongly light-affiliated. I know you came here for girl time, but would you mind if Ven joined us in the future? Light elemental skills are more his ballpark than mine.”

“I don’t mind.” She looked over at the other two, starting their routine. “When I first came here, I was so frustrated with myself. I didn’t want anybody to watch me mess up. But, as Naminé said, this place is liberating.” She grinned. “I still want to learn new things and get experience. And I’m ready to do it with other people.”

“That’s a good sign,” Aqua smiled. “Ready to join them?”

“Yeah.”

They lay in the grass after training, looking up at the sky. High above, mares’ tails drifted through the blue expanse. They made plans to meet up in a few days for another session, Xion included.

Eventually, Xion pushed herself up, heading for the bench where her coat sat. “It was fun training with you,” she said. “I’m looking forward to coming back.”

The rest of them rose and followed her over. Naminé picked up Xion’s coat and handed it to her. They formed a sort of inverse image, opposites in black and white. “It was fun training with you too, Xion,” she said, then clasped her hands behind her back. “I feel like I’m surrounded by experts.” 

Zipping up her coat, Xion chuckled. “Not yet. I still have a lot to learn.”

Aqua nodded. “Even once you reach mastery, there is always still more to learn.”

“Or relearn,” Kairi added, thinking of poor Sora. She knew it frustrated him, always falling behind and having to work twice as hard to catch up to where he’d been. If she had to start over… well, she hoped she never had to.

“Or relearn,” Xion agreed. “Well, I’m off.” She stretched out her hand and darkness began to pool nearby. 

“I think you should get armor,” Aqua said in a rush.

They all turned to her, and the darkness faded. The master’s face was pale, her eyes wide. She took a deep breath, fixing her sleeves, as she collected her thoughts. “I think all of you should get some armor, and learn to transform your keyblades into gliders. That way, the two of you won’t have to keep borrowing the gummi-ship, and Xion, it's faster and safer using a glider in the Lanes Between then traversing the dark corridors.” 

“Armor?” Xion asked.

“You mean, like Terra’s?” Naminé asked.

“Yes. This is mine.” Aqua placed her hand over the metal scaling that held up her left sleeve. In a burst of light, her outfit changed from her form-fitting turtleneck and shorts into a full set of plate armor, silver, slate blue, and black.

Kairi’s eyes widened. “How’d you do that?” She had expected to be shown a suit of amour standing in the hall or something.

“Magic. The full armor reduces down, and is stored in my rerebrace.” She tapped her finger against the armor around her upper left arm. “It protects me from the darkness, just like your coat. And this -” she flung Stormfell into the air. In a flash, it transformed into a vehicle, something like a cross between a bow and a floating platform, and swooped down to land beside Aqua. “- is my glider.”

Awe filled her. That was so cool! The thought that she might be able to do that as well one day was exciting.

Naminé, however, toed the grass dejectedly. “I can’t transform my keyblade. I don’t think I can do that.”

Before Kairi could tell her it was okay, that they would learn, just like Sora had, Xion put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Neither can I.”

Aqua and the glider glowed for a moment, then she was back in her normal clothes, holding her keyblade. “I’ll teach you,” she assured them, “but you’ll need to upgrade them first.”

Xion tilted her head, considering. “You mean we need to visit a moogle shop?”

“Yes. I know there’s one set up in Radiant Garden. We need to go there anyway, for the armor.”

“Can we go now? All of us in the gummi-ship?” Kairi asked excitedly. It was only mid-afternoon on a weekend, and they didn’t have anything important waiting for them on the islands.

Aqua looked back to the castle before nodding. “I’m free. Xion?”

“I have work at the theater later, but if it won’t take long…why not?”

* * *

They landed the gummi-ship outside the city walls, then made their way to the Market Plaza’s busy shops. The Moogles had set their store up on a corner. One ran the counter, and behind it, you could see into the workshop where several others were busily crafting.

Aqua approached the counter while Kairi peered into the back, trying to guess what they were making.

“Hello. Do you perform keyblade upgrades?” Aqua inquired.

The little Moogle nodded, its wobbling pompom exaggerating the gesture. “Oh yes, kupo! As long as you can bring us the ingredients!”

Ingredients? Kairi turned her attention back to the Moogle running the counter. Her stomach dropped a little. She hadn’t ever gathered any.

Aqua seemed unfazed. “Can we have the list?”

“I’ll need to see the keyblades first, kupo.”

“Girls...” Aqua prompted.

Each of them summoned their keyblade, and the Moogle looked each one over with a critical eye. “Hmm, yes, alright, kupo. What sort of upgrade do you want, kupo? More magic? Attack power? Defense?”

Aqua shook her head. “Transformation.”

Kairi grinned. “For transportation,” she lilted, turning it into a rhythm following Aqua’s cadence.

Naminé elbowed her, while Xion smothered a laugh.

Nodding thoughtfully, the Moogle asked, “Do you have the proper gear or armor for travel between worlds, kupo?”

“No, they’re going to need that as well.”

The Moogle’s eyes glinted. “So, kupo, three keyblade upgrades and three sets of armor?”

“Yes.”

The moogle twirled in the air, apparently pleased with such a large order. “Wait a minute, kupo, and I’ll get you a price quote and synthesis list.” With that, it hopped down from its stool and fluttered to the back of the shop.

Naminé stepped closer to Aqua, keeping her voice low. “How expensive is this going to be?”

Aqua chuckled and explained, her voice equally low. “Fret not, o apprentices mine. I can cover the cost. I’m actually more worried about the synthesis items. I lost all mine in….” She trailed off.

“I have some materials,” Xion offered.

Aqua nodded. “That’s good to know.”

“Here you go, kupo!” The moogle fluttered back over to them. “Here’s your list. Don’t worry about payment until you bring the items in, kupo.”

Aqua took the offered paper. “Thank you.”

They all crowded around her to read it. Each armor had five separate ingredients, and the upgrades called for four.

“They’re all different,” Naminé observed. Kairi wondered where they would get all of it.

“Oh, one more thing, kupo.” The moogle fluttered over the counter to them. “I know some ingredients can be hard to find right now, so pay attention to what I say, kupo. Eight shards to a stone, four stones to a gem, and two gems to a crystal, kupo. Remember that, and you can’t go wrong, kupo!

“Thanks,” Kairi nodded. That was definitely going to help.

Nibbling on her bottom lip, Xion gestured at the list. “I have some of these, but nowhere near enough. There’s a few I’ve never even heard of. What’s a Lost Illusion or Fleeting Crystal?”

“Well, I have Fleeting Crystals, but... Range Tech++ and Aerial Tech++?” Aqua shook her head.

Xion raised an eyebrow. “You’ve never seen those?”

“No.”

“Here.” Xion opened up her inventory, pulling out a small, shiny tile. It had a stylized blue bird on it. “This is an Aerial Tech++ material panel. Grey Caprice drop them, along with another Heartless I can’t remember.” She flicked through the rest of her inventory. “I don’t have a Range Tech, but maybe Roxas or Axel will.”

“That’s right!” Kairi exclaimed. “We can pool resources. I’m sure Sora has some of these things.” She pulled out her gummi-phone, calling her friend.

He did. And was excited and willing to share with them. “Do you think I could get some armor and a glider, too?”

Kairi looked at Aqua, who smiled. “I don’t see why not.”

“They gave each of us a different material list, you’ll probably need to come get your own,” Kairi advised.

“Okay! I’ll check with Riku and see what he has and if he wants one.”

“Alright. Call me back when you find out! Bye.” Kairi hung up, turning to the others. “It’s a start, right?”

Next, they checked in with Roxas. “A Range panel?” He tilted his head in thought.

“I need a double plus,” Xion explained.

“No, I don’t think so. I’ll ask Lea. Hey, Lea!” he yelled. “Do you have any Range Tech panels?”

Moments later, the camera blurred as it swung around and up. Lea appeared on the screen. There was an aggrieved “Hey!” from Roxas in the background. “Why do you need Tech panels? Found some Heartless?” He grunted and shoved at something offscreen. He seemed to be battling Roxas off.

Xion giggled at their antics. “We’re making armor and keyblade gliders so we can travel between worlds without using Dark Corridors.”

“Ow!” 

The camera swung again and Roxas’s face reappeared. “Keyblade gliders?” he asked, eyes sparkling with interest.

Still smiling, Xion quipped, “Thought you might like the idea.”

It turned into a three-world conference call. In the end, all of them decided to get armor and gliders. The girls would go first since they had started the project, then the four boys.

“Still, some of those items are going to be hard to find.” Riku stood beside Sora, brows drawn together in thought.

Sora’s eyes lit up. “I have an idea! You remember Hades? Apparently he’s still sending Heartless and anything else he can find to the coliseum to fight Hercules. You might be able to get some drops there.”

Xion pursed her lips. “I remember fighting there”

“So do I.” Roxas rested his chin on the back of his knuckles. “You’ll need to find Phill and talk to him.”

Sora nodded. “He’s in charge of sign-ups, but last time I saw him, he’d lost his voice from yelling so much. I _think_ it’s back now.”

“Terra, Ven, and I went there.” Kairi looked over at Aqua, who had a fond smile on her face. “It would be good to see everyone again.”

Naminé gently nudged Kairi’s side. “You said you wanted the experience.”

She nodded, beaming at the thought. “We can all enter as a team.” 

A line appeared between Xion’s brows. “That’d be fun, but I’ll have to check with my school and work schedule.”

“I’ll cover for you,” Roxas offered.

“And we can cheer you on! …or enter ourselves!” Sora crossed his arms in thought. “The games are a lot of fun.” 

Riku rolled his eyes before lightly rapping him on the side of the head. “You’re way behind in school work. Do you have time for fun and games?”

“Hey!” Sora squeaked. “I’m trying, it’s just…” His shoulders sagged and he hung his head comically. “School’s so boring.” 

Shaking his head, Riku looked back at the camera. “Go sign up and have fun. Sora and I will cheer you on.” 

* * *

A few days later, with Roxas covering Xion’s shift at the theater, they headed for the Olympic Coliseum. 

Kairi looked up at the huge columns and gold statues on either side of the ornate doors, practically bouncing. “You ready?”

Naminé was also staring at the doors. “A little nervous.”

Aqua put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “You’ll do fine.” 

Stepping up beside them, Xion added, “Aqua’s right. The rounds start off easy, so there’s a learning curve.”

Kairi clenched her fist and ran up the stone steps. “Let’s go sign up!”

They entered an antechamber with a scoreboard and trophies. A small satyr was reading a slate in the corner with his back to them.

“Hello.” Kairi approached him, “We’re here to enter the games.” 

The satyr didn’t even turn around to look at them. “No.”

Taken aback at the rebuttal, she questioned, “Why not?” 

Still with his back turned, he held up two fingers. “Two words. You. Ain’t. Heroes.”

That wasn’t fair, he hadn’t even looked at them, let alone give them a chance to prove themselves.

“Never stopped you from letting heartless enter,” Xion muttered.

His tail twitched and he spun around, face red. “Now, listen here, you, you gotta have some monsters to make things inter… Oh, it’s you. Whatever your name is.” Then his eyes lit up, and he scuttled up to Aqua and took her hand, pumping it up and down. “Now, here’s a hero! Haven’t seen you since Herc was a twig. Whatta ya been up to?”

A shadow flickered over Aqua’s face before she smiled. “I’ve been away. Recently, I’ve been training these three.”

Phil looked them over. “So, you’ve been training with a hero, huh? Okay. You’re in.”

Yes! Kairi felt nerves and excitement curl in her belly. This was it. The start of the adventure.


End file.
